A grand piano is a type of piano. This instrument has a rich and rich sound. The word royal translated from French means "royal". This magnificent instrument, which provides composers and performers with the richest opportunities, appeared in Italy at the beginning of the 18th century. Its inventor Bartolomeo Cristofori managed to combine the merits of the harpsichord, clavichord and cymbals.
Instructions
Step 1
The predecessors of the grand piano were fundamentally different instruments. Some musicologists classify the harpsichord as a keyboard plucked string, since the sound is produced by touching the string with a feather. The clavichord is a string instrument with a percussion-clamping method of sound production. Sound is produced using tangents, flat-headed metal pins. Cymbals are played with hammers, that is, it is a percussion instrument.
Step 2
According to legend, Bartolomeo Cristofori, a harpsichord master who served at the court of Duke Ferdinando Medici, once watched the play of street musicians. Among them were the cymbalists. Cristofori came up with the idea to combine the harpsichord and cymbals - he took the body from the first, the method of sound production from the second. The new instrument was presented to the Duke and the public in 1709 in Florence. The grand piano produced a much louder sound than the clavichord. In addition, the strength of the sound and its color could be adjusted, which favorably distinguished the grand piano from the harpsichord. The first pianos had a different strings arrangement than modern ones. The location was the same as that of the harpsichord. The cross string method was invented in the early 19th century. At the same time, they began to use solid cast iron frames. They could be located both horizontally and vertically. An upright grand piano stands, for example, in the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum.
Step 3
Modern grand pianos are divided into several types. A grand concert grand piano is at least 270 cm long. It has the most intense and expressive sound. These are the pianos that sound in large concert halls, solo or with symphony orchestras. The length of a small concert grand piano is 220-250 cm. It is played in chamber concerts with small ensembles. These are professional musical instruments. For amateurs, cabinet grand pianos are intended. They also vary in size. The large office grand piano is 180-195 cm long, the small one is 160-175 cm. They are intended for home music-making and learning to play the piano. Finally, the smallest grand piano is a mignon, 140-155 cm long. These are mostly interior and entourage instruments, they are of little use for serious music lessons. Grand pianos are also divided by quality. The best are premium or high-end. There is also a middle class, consumer, low-budget.
Step 4
The first piece written for the piano was Giustini's sonata. It was created in 1732. But the first to actively write for the piano were Mozart and Haydn. Beethoven created many beautiful compositions for this instrument. The virtuoso pianists Chopin and Liszt opened up new possibilities of the grand piano. Works for this instrument were created by Grieg, Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff and many other remarkable composers. There is a special piano department in all music schools. The piano is also mastered by musicians of other specialties, a general piano course is provided for them.
